Header-spring



(No Model.) 4 S. HAMILTON.

HEADER SPRING. v No. 284,296; Patented Sept. 4, 1883.

N. ml. Phulo-Ulhcmphor. Wflhinglon. B. C.

a ing back over the beam.

To all whom it may concern/.-

UNITED STATE ATENT FFICE.

SAMUEL HAMILTON, on SALINAS, CALIFORNIA:

HEADER-SPRING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 284,296, dated September 4, 1$83. Application filed Mar-cl: 23,1883- (N 0 model.)

Be it known that I, SAMUEL HAMILTON, of Salinas, county of Monterey, State of California, have invented an Improved Header- Spring; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to a new and useful improvement in the class of headers, reapers, or mowers in which the beam is hinged to the main frame, and a long lever attached to the frame is operated to raise or lower theheader to or from the ground; and it consists in certain details of construction, hereinafter described and claimed. The general operation, however, is as follows: The main frame is raised and lowered and the height of the cutter adjusted by means of a long lever extendlever the front of the header is thrown down and by depressing it it is thrown up. The figure in the accompanying drawing i a side elevation, showing my spring andthe manner of its attachment.

I have here deemed it necessary to show but a portion of the main frame of the header,

3 a which is designated by A.

B is the tongue or beam, to which the horses are attached in the usual manner. This beam is hinged to the frame, and has the usual steering-wheel, (l.

D is the operating-lever, attached to the frame A at cl cl. It extends back over the beam and engages with a rack, E, in the usual manner. It is obvious and well known in what manner the movement of this lever af- In the ordinary operation, disengaged from the rack, header has a tendency to throwthe lever up, and therefore it requires some exercise of power to adjust the lever to the position desired, and to cause it to reengage with the rack. When the header is in operation, theforce of the draft or push of the horses increases materially the tendency of the front of the header to incline to the ground. I So, great is this tendency that it has become a common practice to weight the end of the lever both by forming therewith a bal-.

By elevating this last-box and by adding additional weight, even to the extent of six hundred pounds. WVith this weight as a counter-balance the operation of the lever is rendered easier, but the ballast is too cumbersome and its force is constant, which is not essential, as I shall show. Another expedient to overcome the difficulty is by the employment of a spiral spring. This device is imperfect, because of thenature of the spring, its cost, and itssmall power when attached.

F is my spring. This consists of spring steel, formed of as many leaves as may be desirable. It is attached to the top of the beam at its forward end. Thence it extends back, curving upward slightlyto a point under the rear end of the lever, and is attached to said lever by a chain, f.

G is a sliding band embracing the beam and the spring, by the movement of which the tension of said spring may be regulated.

Now, it will be observed that the stronger the tendency of the header to go into the ground, and thereby to throw the end of the lever up, the greater will be the resistance offered by the spring, because it will be harder to bend as the lever rises. Therefore the power of the spring is nicely graduated to meet the wants of the case. By being attached to the end of the lever it has the best point on which to exercise its counter-resistance, thereby rendering the movement of the lever an easy matter. small power this lever may be operated, and

by being so nicelycounterbalanced the rack is never worn by the constant movement of the lever, as isthe case Where ballast is used.

This spring is neat and cheap. It is out of the way, and is well adapted for the purpose intended. I

I do not claim, broadly, the employment of a spring for effecting my purpose; but

What I do claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a header, the beam 13, hinged to the rear of the header, and the lever D, for raising and lowering the header, in combination with the flat leaf-spring F, lying between the beam and lever, and having its forward end By the exercise of secured to the beam, and its rear. end fieXiing band G, substantially as and for the purbly secured to the lever, substantially as set pose herein described. V I0 forth.I h d h b B h d 1 In witness whereof I hereunto set my hand.

2. n a ea er t e eani inge to t 1e 5 header, the level D, and the rack E, in com- SAMUEL HAMILTON bination with the flat leaf-spring F, attached Witnesses: to the forward end of the beam, and connect- G. W. EMERsON, ed with the rear endof the lever, and the slid- L. H. NO RsE. 

